It is well known that roller skates include plates that support a pair of axles which mount four wheels. These plates may be clamped upon a shoe or boot by adjustable clamping means using roller skate keys for the adjustment or, in more expensive skates, may be bolted or otherwise secured directly to a boot.
In the late 1960's and early 70's, skateboards became popular due, in part, to the development of urethane coated wheels which functioned to absorb the irregularities of rough street pavement. The urethane wheel was then introduced to roller skates which also enjoyed a substantial increase in popularity.
With the development of urethane wheels, it becomes possible to improve the apparatus which supports the axles to which the wheels are mounted. That is, with the urethane functioning to absorb irregularities in the pavement or other surface over which the wheels are riding, it is possible to provide a finely tuned, spring loaded mounting apparatus for the skate axles which permits these axles to float. This provides the user of the skates with more freedom of movement than prior art roller skate plates even where those prior art plates are provided with some form of spring mechanism.